Secrets of the Heart: New Life
by DreamsInMyHeart16
Summary: Sequel to Secrets of the Heart. Katara is reborn to modern day China, she has no collection of the past just yet and it is up to Zuko to find his bring the memory back to his beloved. Might be rated M in the future. Zutara.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Air Bender nor its characters.... They belong to Bryan and Mike

But I do own Hamaya

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**Chapter One ::**

_Anger and Love is Reborn_

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China: 1931

Five minutes after midnight, the small village where Katara was burnt, was destroyed. It was blown up by Zuko's anger. He had risen quietly into the air until his figure was seen clearly in the middle of the moon, and released a ball of energy into the village. It was big enough to destroy the whole village, but not enough to destroy the trees surrounding it. And when Zuko was done, fifteen people were only killed. That didn't satisfy him though, because more than fifteen villagers were responsible, and he was going to pay them back, including his Aunt, if she was wrong about Katara.

Zuko had come a long way, born in the late 1300s, he had seen and heard many things. He had also seen how far these mortals have gone; how far they had changed. He had grown sick of them, no longer thirst for mortal blood, and he had gone into hiding. It had been after the death of his father.

Had he known the kind of trouble his mother was in at the time he went underground, he would have never gone into hiding, but he had disappeared, deep into the ground and had never awaken until the early 1400s.

By then, he had found out he had a stepfather and a very young stepbrother, whom he had grown to love and care for. Jet was a curious child, always on the run, always curious about life. Zuko was practically his hero, and Zuko was always bringing home candies and toys for Jet to play with. He admitted, he spoiled Jet pretty badly. Up until Jet's thirteenth birthday, he was the same boy…and then one day, he changed.

Zuko came home after Jet's fourteenth birthday only to find him waiting. They had gotten into a heated argument since Jet had found out from their mother that Zuko was not solely, completely human. Jet had then done some researching and had found so much information about Zuko's kind and the Vampires that Zuko had forgotten all about. After the heated argument, stepbrothers were then enemies, and though Zuko had tried his very best to warn Jet about the path he had taken, Jet had refused to listen.

Finally, after eight years of jealous, hurt and anger, Jet had gotten himself turned, at the young age of 22, into a Vampire. Zuko had been so angry he had almost killed his very own stepbrother. Thankfully, his mother stopped them. Ever since that day, the words family…loyalty…stepbrothers, no longer held any true meaning, no longer meant anything to the both of them.

His mother died of a broken heart, and his father…well, he killed himself a week later.

"T'is sad to think of naught, but the past." The voice appeared out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here, Aang?" Zuko questioned without turning around to look at his friend.

"You destroyed the whole village."

"Yeah, so?" Zuko grinned bitterly." Most of them escaped."

"Revenge is not the answer." Aang placed a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko shrugged Aang's hand away. "Try telling that to me when your Toph gets killed."

Aang opened his mouth to argue, but it was the truth.

"If you need my help, my friend, you can ask me."

Zuko smiled at his friend, but with no true emotion. His friend would do anything that was asked of him. They have almost, practically grown up together since their fathers were so close, but Zuko had disappeared until a century ago—and they had picked up their relationship as friends—where it was left off.

"This is not your problem, so I ask you to stay out of this. I will handle this myself."

"Where are you going—what are you going to do?"

"Revenge," his eyes glittered as he said that. "Until we meet again."

"You are leaving?" Aang questioned.

"I am going under."

Aang's eyes widened in surprised. "Again? But you just came out a century ago!"

"Until Katara returns." Zuko answered truthfully. "If I do not want the beast to consume me."

Aang nodded and watched his friend disappeared into the night.

"Darling, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" The soft husky voice came through the silent night.

"Nothing," Aang said silently as he held out his arms. Toph silently stepped into his arms.

"Where is Zuko?"

Aang sighed as he pulled her close against him. "He won't be back for a long while…"

"What do you mean?" She lean her head against his shoulders.

"Until Katara returns."

Toph sighed sadly. "You do not know what you have until you have lost it."

"Thank God I did not lose you."

"Would you have gotten revenge for me?" Toph grinned.

"Yeah," Aang growled, remembering the human who had stabbed Toph almost to death.

"Stupid Prince," Toph put her arms around Aang. "Revenge is not the answer."

Aang grinned. Toph had heard everything, yet she would like him to think she had not. "Try telling that to yourself when someone kills me."

Toph chuckled. "Come, let us go inside so you can _prove_ how much you love me."

Aang grinned. "Yes, let us…"

Toph laughed gently and kissed Aang on the lips, and they made their way back into the forest that was almost burnt beyond recognition.

"The Vampires were of a different race than the Vampils. Since the beginning of time Vampires and Vampils hated one another for each were determined to be the stronger one. Many battles were fought, gruesome battles in secret places unknown and unheard of in the human world. Many Vampires and Vampils killed fighting for the right to be stronger than the other and this battle lasted more than a hundred years.

"Until finally, one day, the leader, the Queen of the Vampils grew tired of the war, the long and quiet war in the human world, and so she devised a plan. A plan to seduce the King of Vampires, then kill him when his back was turn. The plan worked, everything went the way they expected it to work, except for the fact that they were married. The King married her and though the young Queen still wanted peace for her kind, she could no longer kill the King because she had grown to love him. She had grown to see the man, to admire, and adore him. And when the time came to kill him…she could not.

"Thus the Queen had felt she had failed her dead family and her kind and proceeded to kill herself. Did she or did she not succeed in killing herself? The question will never be answered, but the marriage forged a bond ever. Ever since then, there had been less fight and more talk of peace and a great hope for peace in the bleak future ahead.

"Yet, there were still many who rebel against the marriage, many who wanted to be the all powerful and the war still rage on. No matter how many Vampires and Vampils fought, the Royal Family refused to lose hope. They tried to stop the fights that break out, and they tried, but their soldiers were murdered, and the great King was going to give up hope—but he had one last weapon—a Vampire assassinator who killed without mercy and brutally. He was known as the Chosen One.

"The Chosen One assassinated all the leaders of the rebel group. He killed the leaders of the Vampires and the Vampils alike, to him; they were just one and the same. He sliced their heads, stabbed them through their hearts; he put fear into the hearts of rebels everywhere and took the rebels to the King to be dealt with. Everyone called him the very Devil, the Stone Heart because he spared no one any mercy—and rumor has it—not even to the women and children.

"When peace came at long last, the Chosen One was given a reward. He was given a rich mansion and almost a thousand acre of land. There, he created his own village, took care of his own and all he asked of those who came to live in his village was that they be loyal and cause no trouble.

"The Choson One lived alone for many years, and at last, he took a mistress. It was rumored that he took a Vampil mistress—but he took a human mistress who later gave birth to a son. Though the son was a bastard, the mistress did not care. She did not want to marry the Chosen One, but she loved him very deeply and would gladly risk her life for her love and her child.

"Eventually, the villages and the people who the mistress thought were her friends betrayed her. She was kidnapped while her child had disappeared. They did this so the Chosen One would come after her, and he did. Rescuing his only love had cost him his life. His son returned and killed those responsible for his father's death, but it could not bring his father back. The Chosen One became a legend, putting fear into the hearts of many young Vampires and Vampils today, and his son…his son became a favor of the King and he took over his father's job. He became The One; he dealt with those who did not follow the laws of the V&V (Vampires&Vampils) and watching silently, over the humans, who the V&V have haunted for many generations….

"He was Zuko Huo…"

Zuko went after the escaped villagers. He spared no one alive—killed without mercy to ease his pain, but the more he killed, the more pain he felt. He kept seeing Katara's face, and every time he stabbed someone, every time another blood got on his sword, her face would turned anguish, as if in pain herself, and Zuko felt like she was stabbing Katara instead of the villagers.

Ever since he took his father's job, his oath, he had promised himself that he would do all in his power to protect the humans, to serve and guard them from the thieving powers of the bloodlust V&V. He had never thought that the humans would turn on him after all that he had done; he had never thought that he would go back on a promise he made, but here he was now, killing humans. It was wrong, he knew he had no right to play God with peoples' life, but what can he do? They played God with a mere innocent girl's life. Had someone told him a century ago that he would kill not because it was his duty, but because he was killing for his own personal perverse pleasure: revenge, Zuko would have bashed that person head against a tree trunk and laughed at the mess he had created, but not now, not when it was actually happening for real.

Zuko sighed. The image of Katara's pained face crossed his face each time his blade went through another body. When he could stand it no more, he dropped the bloody sword down on the ground and found himself a river. Without another ounce of thought on his clothes, he jumped into the deep lake and closed down his system. It was time to sleep for the day; he didn't have to breath for a whole twelve hours.

That evening, Zuko came out of the river with his wet clothes on, but he felt no coldness, no nothing. He picked up his sword, which was covered in dried blood and threw it into the cold river. Fifteen minutes later, the sword came flying out and into Zuko's hand, clean and shiny as new.

"That is not how you clean yourself."

Zuko stiffened. "I just want to get rid of the blood."

"Why did you kill them?"

"Why did you take them with you?" Zuko countered.

"I cannot just let them die like that. Their deaths will be on my Zukol."

"What is one more added when Katara's death is already on your Zukol?"

"You are a selfish bastard."

"Thank you, my good Aunt." Zuko told her coldly. "But I care not what you think of me."

Zuko took a step, and then another, walking away from his Aunt.

"Zuko."

He stopped, but didn't turn around to look at his Aunt. The Aunt he thought he knew…the Aunt he thought he cared for….

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere that concerns you," he answered truthfully.

"Master."

Zuko stopped at the voice. "Ty Lee."

"Will you be returning?"

"Once Katara is back," Zuko answered truthfully.

"Very well, I will be awaiting for your return then." Ty Lee bowed.

"Take care of yourself," Zuko told him. "And the others."

"Very well, sire."

"And while you are at it, get yourself a family." Zuko turn to look at Ty Lee. "I will see you."

Ty Lee bowed and disappeared into the night, just as Zuko did.

"The Vampires, they were a small race, but slowly rapidly growing. The Vampils, they were a big race, but slowly they were rapidly decreasing. Less and less were they willing to mate with humans after the disappearance of Zuko, the Chosen One, after his father. There were many rumors surrounding his disappearance. Many said he died by human hands, by the hands of the mysterious young girl whom he had rescued. Others say he was still alive and can be seen, sometimes, walking alone, as if searching for someone…something. Some say that he had fallen into the deepest and oldest of trap: love. He had let his lover destroy him.

"Nevertheless, his disappearance brought about a great change in the V&V life. Those who live in fear of being hunted down and killed by Zuko now reemerge, more powerful than ever, and more determined to rebel against the peace of the V&V. They took advantage of his disappearance, killing both humans and the V&V. However, their rebellion only lasted a few months, and then they retreat, into hiding again. The reason of their retreat was unknown, but there was proof now, more than ever, that Zuko did not fall into the oldest trap of love and that he was still very alive and well, and ready to keep his promise, ready to do justice upon those who were doing injustice."

"We cannot keep up this pretense much longer," Aang sighed warily as he leaned back against the chair.

"You mean, I cannot keep up this pretense much longer," Ty Lee grinned at Aang. "What makes you say that?"

"I do not know." Aang sighed. "If anyone ever finds out, we will be in deep trouble."

"Ah, but they will not find out, besides, you are the King you know?"

"Not the true one."

"Hah, you have royal blood in you, you are a good King, believe me."

"I do not see why you have to act in Zuko's place."

"You know why." Ty Lee seated himself across from Aang. "Zuko is gone, disappeared. I cannot contact him, I have tried to locate him, but it is like he has disappeared from the face of the earth, just like Jet. Have you seen him or heard of him?"

"Who? Jet or Zuko?"

"Both."

"No. I have not heard from both of them."

"I begin to suspect that Jet has also gone into hiding, but he has gone to train to become more powerful."

Aang sigh. "So both of them are gone?"

"Yes, and I have a feeling when Katara is back, Zhao will be back as well."

Aang didn't say anything for a long while, and then he look at Ty Lee and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Ty Lee grinned. "You are not going to let me be are you?" He shook his head. "I feel guilty. Zuko had made me Katara's guard while he is gone, but I failed him."

"Zuko does not blame you though." Aang told him.

"Still, I need to do this for him, after all, he has watch over me, now it is time for me to repay him."

Aang shook his head. "Where could Zuko have gone that we cannot even sense him, contact him…?"

"That, I do not know, sire, that I do not know…"

China: Beijing

1983

"Congratulations, Mr. Yun, you have a girl."

"Thank you, thank you," Mr. Yun grinned proudly as he gently touch the face of his newborn daughter, and smiled at his wife, who was looking at him through tired eyes. "Wife, we have a daughter."

"And a good time to have a daughter, too," Mrs. Yun closed her eyes as she told her husband. "She is born under the protection and love of the Boar."

"Great wealth and success," Mr. Yun smiled. "What shall we name her?"

"Katara Yun."

"Katara it is…"

And as if the baby knew her name, it started to cry out for food, for protection from its love ones.

On November 25th, 1983, at eight-thirty pm, Katara Yun was born.

Not far from the city of Beijing, in the mountainous side of China, in the deepest, darkest and coldest corner of a small cave, a pair of dark black gleaming eyes opened at the Zukond of the baby's crying. His mouth curved slowly into a smile, and his mouth opened. Only one word was heard in the silent cave: "Katara…"

Not far from the cave, buried deep in the ground, a pair of golden eyes opened….

Katara knew her mother by sight, and she knew her father, but she knew this stranger was neither her parents. This stranger was staring at her with deep black eyes, and Katara didn't like it one bit, that was probably why she opened her mouth and filled with quiet night with a loud cry. She wanted to be in her mother's arm, she wanted to feel safe, and she didn't want that strange pair of eyes looking at her. She was young, but that didn't mean she was dumb.

"Turn on the lights," Mrs. Yun yawned. "I need to feed her, she's crying."

"I'll get her for you," Mr. Yun eagerly went to pick up his daughter, any excuse at all to hold his first baby in his arms. "She looks so much like you."

Mrs. Yun smiled. "She has your nose."

He gave Katara a small kiss on the cheek. "Go to your mother now, and be a good girl."

…………

"The Vampires, the Vampils, they were forgotten in this year where magic no longer exists, where science seem to have an explanation for everything. Medicines were developed, new technologies were made day in and day out and while people were busy with their daily, now busy life, there were those who remain in the night, those who watch and prey on human life, on human blood. These V&V were forgotten, and were told only in legends, in movies. They were told as stories to scare little children and to keep them from being naughty, but what they do not know, they do not fear.

"However, there are still many who made a life of the human ways, many who live by the human rules and feed only by night. Many live in fear of ever being found out and hunted down like before in the past. But this did not prevent them from trying to live a quiet, peaceful life, and when the time came, once again, to rebel against the peace that is now permanent in the V&V community, they will do so, rising once again to defeat the King, whose whereabouts were unknown.

"But until then, many are doctors, who drink the blood of their patients at night while others are businessmen who hold fortunes enough to make a king weep. They are few in numbers, but their strengths match those of a hundred men, and they are real. They are very real, only, they have been forgotten, and that will a mistake the humans will never forget once this city is done with them….

"In this city, anything can happen, and while you're trying to decide who to trust and who is who, keep a lookout from behind because anything can happen, in this big, busy city of Beijing…."

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**Other Information/Author's Note:** You know I had to make a sequel guys!

I've actually been working on it during the sixth chapter of Secrets of the Heart.

I could never leave you guys like that for long.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Air Bender nor its characters.... They belong to Bryan and Mike

But I do own Hamaya

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**Chapter Two ::**

_The Beginning of the End_

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China: Beijing  
1988: _Six years later_

"Don't play so close to the road now."

"I won't, mommy," Katara shouted back as she ran outside and into the front yard. She was giggling by the time she reached outside. She was going to play with her new shiny ball that her daddy had bought for her birthday, her sixth birthday. She bounced the ball once, watching in awe as it flew high up into the sky and then move out of the way as it came down.

She grabbed the ball again and this time jumped to see how high she could throw the ball. It went even higher than before. She caught it as it came down and threw it. It slipped from her hands and rolled towards the street.

She grabbed it just before it went over the sidewalk and look back to see if her mommy was looking out the window at her. She saw that her mommy was busy talking on the phone and so she threw the ball into the sky once more. She watched as it went up into the sky and tried to catch it when it came down. She missed and it bounced a couple of feet away from her, into the middle of the road.

Katara frowned. She needed to get mommy. Her mommy told her never to go into the streets. She ran back inside the house and shouted for her mommy.

"Hush, I'm busy now, honey," her mother told her as she tugged on her mommy's skirt. "Don't bother me."

"But Mommy, my ball is out in street." She said.

"Mommy will get it for you in a little while," her mother said absently as she wrote the ingredients down for some kind of food she was making. "Okay, now do you boil that after or before you do the meat?"

Katara frowned even more. She wanted to shout and stomp her feet, but her mother wouldn't like that. She tugged at her mother's skirt once more.

"What is it, honey?" Her mother look down at her with the phone nested on her neck.

"Can I go get it then?"

"Of course," her mother told her. "Just watch where you are going."

Katara smiled at her mommy and then ran back outside. The ball was still right where it was. She ran towards it, her hands stretched out in front of her.

The car came out of nowhere, and Katara wasn't paying attention. Before she knew it, the car was almost right in front of her, trying to stop and Katara could only stare at the front of the car as it came towards her, beeping at her to move out of the way….

A pair of arms grabbed her and Katara started to cry even as the danger passed.

"Hush," the silent voice told her, and Katara quieted down to small sobs. "You are safe now, little one. Hush."

Katara look up to see a pair of golden eyes look at her with such warmth that she quieted down immediately. "Zuko." She blurted out, and laughed. "Zuko! Zuko come back!"

Zuko look surprised. Katara remembered him, or should he say, this Katara remembered him. He wasn't expecting her to, but she did. That was unheard of before. But he picked her small fragile body up into his arms. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, but hiccupped softly. "My ball, my shiny new ball."

Zuko looked behind him, across the street at the ball that was now flattened. "Right here," he smiled as he held out an exact copy of the ball. "I saved it."

Katara gasped happily as she hug the ball into her small body and then she put her arms around Zuko's neck as she yawned sleepily, forgetting about the ball. "Where Mommy and Daddy?'

Zuko tightened his arms around Katara. "That is right, you have a family now, do you not?"

"Fably," Katara murmur as she lean her head against his chest. "Fably and Zuko."

"She's in here, honey, what are you talking about?"

"But, but…" Mrs. Yun wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I checked in here a while ago and she wasn't in here."

"She probably was tired and came back here, come on, you go and rest. You've had a tired day, I'll do the cooking."

"But…"

"No buts," Mr. Yun kissed his wife gently on the lips. "Go."

"Okay," Mrs. Yun said reluctantly. "Don't burn the food this time."

He chuckled. "I won't. I've learned a lot since I was a married man."

Katara yawned as her parents closed the door behind him. She was sleepy and she brought her hands out to grasp something, but she couldn't find it.

"Zuko?" She whispered tiredly. "Where...Zuko?"

Zuko was right by her side. "Go to sleep."

"Zuko...be back?" Katara opened her eyes.

"When you are all big," he told her, and then he kissed her gently on her forehead and she fell asleep.

Zuko chuckled softly as her eyes closed. At least she had no idea how to resist his magic anymore. His chuckle stopped though, when he saw the calendar on the wall. November 26th, 1988. Didn't his Aunt say that Katara was going to be born in the year 2000?

He turned back to look at Katara. The little figure was exactly like Katara when she was small. She had the same innocent look about her, the same dark brow hair that cascaded in a curly manner, big bright azure blue eyes that could outshine the ocean, and a petite nose, the same circular baby face. She even remembered him. It was her all right. His Aunt must be getting old in her years to make such a miscalculation. He'll have to go and bring her the good news.

Katara grew up, going from six years old to twelve years old, from twelve years old, to sixteen years. As her body and her brain grew, her past was forgotten, and soon she forgot about the mysterious man who saved her when she was six, soon forgot about everything. Her mom died in a car crash, being hit by a drunk driver, when she was eight years old. Only her mother was in that car.

Her father didn't let that keep him down; instead, he worked even harder and cared for her even more than ever. Katara lost her mother and she suffered greatly from it, but that didn't keep her down also, after all, she still had her father right?

That was what she thought, until she was twelve. Whether it was her fate, or her luck, she was in the car with her father when another drunk driver hit them. She was sitting in the back seat her father was in front. When she came to, she found her father and her a couple of feet away from the burning car, safe. She didn't remember going out and her father didn't remember being thrown out, so someone must have helped them, whoever it was, she never found out, but she was still thankful for that person. Ever since then, she was afraid of fires, after seeing the fire in front of her, burning away the car. Her doctor had said it went even deeper than that for no one ever suffered after seeing a car on fire, but nothing had happened to her before to make her afraid of fire.

Her father survived until they were at the hospital. She was released a day after and her father lived for two days until he died. Katara was right by his side when he died. She was still talking to him and didn't realize he was dead until the doctors rushed in. By then, it was too late.

By age twelve, Katara found herself alone in the world.

And ever since then, she had never been the same.

Her father had given her a necklace. He had told her that she was born with it and it was clutched to her hand. It wasn't until a couple of days later after she came home that they noticed. They have kept it for her. And ever since that day she received her necklace she started seeing things she shouldn't see, feeling things she shouldn't feel.

It first started when she was in the orphanage. They have given her a little stuff doll to play with and she had picked it up and immediately seen images, voices, a baby crying, someone talking, another person screaming. She had drop the doll and refused to touch it ever since.

The second time was when she had a bad dream and touched the necklace her father had given to her. She had clasped her hand around it and when she did, she felt herself drifting and suddenly saw a girl, much older than her. Someone had called her and then she had seen her being burned.

Ever since then, she had never touched the necklace on her neck. No matter how tempted she was, she refused to touch it. She had found out that she had a gift. She could sense, feel, see whatever material she touch, and so she schooled her emotions, careful to not let anything show when she did touch a cup, a stuff doll and see things she shouldn't be seeing.

She knew she was different, but that didn't stop her, and she was now sixteen. Two more years and then she would be allowed to go free. Two more years and she would finally be free of the orphanage and those stinky foods.

"I can't believe they serve those stinking mashed potatoes again!"

Katara turned to see one of her friends from the orphanage.

"That was yesterday," Katara told her. "We're in school now. We don't have to worry about it until lunch time."

"I hate it over there sometimes," her friend told her. "Too bad we can't escape eh? Go live on our own."

"We're not old enough," Katara told her. "Besides, we don't even have a job."

"Yeah, I know, that's the sad thing about being an orphan."

Katara didn't comment. Instead she was looking at the door, staring at a boy who had just walked into the room. He was no different from all the rest, except…except his golden eyes reminded her of a pair a long time ago. She couldn't remember where she had seen them, but she had seen them somewhere before, she was sure of it.

She kept staring at him, willing him to turn her way, to meet her eyes, but he refused. He wouldn't meet her gaze at all, and she grew angry. Why wouldn't he listen to her? She was—

"Katara," her friend nudged her.

Katara blinked, dazed. For a moment there, she thought he actually heard her and was communicating, she laughed shakily to herself. Yes, she was most definitely going crazy. She seriously needed to stop with those midnight scary books.

"Look at that guy."

Katara turned just in time to see another guy step inside, this time, he had shaggy black hair, his height kind of made him look older, but he wasn't. In fact, he looked very dashing, especially with his dark piercing Topaz eyes and sharp well-define nose.

_Okay,_ Katara told herself, _you definitely need to stop reading those scary vampire novels. You act as if you almost know them, but you have never even seen them in your whole entire life._

She turned back to look at the golden eye boy. She knew though, in her heart and in her mind that she had seen him from somewhere before. She didn't know where, but she did. It was almost like recognizing an old friend who she hadn't seen in a long, long time.

It was confusing, and scary.

This time, the guy turned her gaze on her. He stared at her and Katara was unable to move her gaze away from him.

And then he smiled.

**Hello. **

That brought her out of it, and she looked around her. "What?"

Her friend turned to look at her, "Huh?"

"Did you say something?"

Her friend shook her head.

"I thought I heard someone say hello." Katara frowned.

"Maybe you heard it in your brain," her friend joked, not knowing how true it was.

Katara ignored them the rest of the day. She seriously needed to get some rest, she thought.

"Are you okay?" Her friend look worried.

"Fine," she answered. "I just need to stop reading those vampire novels."

She grinned at her. "Why don't you try reading those romance novels for once?"

"A couple of those vampire novels are romance novels," Katara admitted.

The teacher came in before they could continue their conversation and Katara focus on school instead of anything else.

She was running again in the forest. Everywhere she turned, a pair of golden eyes was looking at her. She couldn't escape them even if she wanted to.

"Katara."

It called out, but to whom? She

"Katara, come back to me."

The voice wasn't loud or booming. It was low and whispery, soft. It should have frightened her, but for some reason, it didn't.

"How do you know me?" She answered back.

No one answered.

"Hello?" She asked again.

"You have forgotten," the voice came again. "The necklace, touch the necklace."

Katara shook her head even though no one can see it.

"Why not?"

"I see…things I don't want to," she answered.

"That is something you must face before you remember."

"What are you saying?"

"Are you willing…?"

"Willing to what?" She shouted.

"Are you willing to face your past? Are you willing?"

She didn't answer.

"Do you love me enough to face your past?"

"I don't even know who you are; I don't even know who I am!"

"You are Katara, right?"

"Who are you?"

Silence.

Katara look around, searching for the pair of golden eyes, but they were no longer in sight. Now she felt cold, unprotected. She wanted to shout his name, wanted him to come back, to keep the fear at bay, but she didn't know his name, didn't know him….

After a moment, she knew he was gone for good, and she opened her eyes. Katara found herself in the orphanage, the balcony window opened, the weather outside was clear.

"Zuko…" She whispered as the name came out of nowhere.

Zuko who was already halfway down the street, turned as he heard her call. He turned his face to look at the orphanage where she was, and then he answered her, knowing she could hear. "Yes."

And then Katara closed her eyes and went to sleep again, knowing that in the morning when she awoke, she would forget everything that had happen because he willed it, and she always have to listen to him when he wanted something done….

* * *

**Other Information/Author's Note:** I know, I know... I'm a family killer. I killed her mom and dad, like, twice? I feel bad for it but hey, it fits.

I just noticed that I made Zuko act like a friend of mine, his personality is actually almost like actual Zuko's.

This is will my last update until next week or maybe more since I'm a very busy teenage girl, y'know.

Please review!!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Air Bender nor its characters.... They belong to Bryan and Mike

But I do own Hamaya

* * *

**Chapter Three ::**

_New Life_

* * *

"Katara!"

"No…not now!" Katara groaned silently as the headmistress from her orphanage called her from the doorway of her classroom.

"Katara, please, come with me."

"Yes, Ma'am." Katara smiled politely.

"Hmmm…trouble?" Her classmate friends asked her.

Katara raised her head high. "I never get in trouble, though why she would come all this way to get me must be something important."

"Or you're getting adopted," someone suggested.

Katara snorted at him." That is highly unlikely."

Her friend, Karl, who was also from the orphanage, grinned at her, "Go on."

Katara followed the headmistress to her office, a block away from the small public school she was enrolled in. The streets were alive with people and there was something in the air. Katara could feel it by the way people ran back and forth as if expecting something to happen and they didn't want to miss it.

"I know this will come as a shock to you, but we have finally located a relative of yours."

Katara stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "What?"

The madam walked on, never turning to look behind her. "You heard me. He is your stepbrother."

Katara blinked. Stepbrother? Her parents loved each other, and they never adopted, so why would she have a stepbrother unless her father or mother had been cheating on each other?

Katara's eyes glowed. She was going to exposed him, but first, she needed to see him and ask him a couple of questions…

"He's twenty years old, which means he's old enough to take care of a sixteen year old girl like you."

Katara growled silently to herself. "I can take care of myself."

"His name is Zuko, you will call him Brother Zuko."

This time Katara stumbled. She heard that name before, Zuko…,but to call him Brother Zuko sounded a little… weird didn't it?

"You will treat him with the utmost respect you have shown me, and maybe if you're lucky, he might be able to convince his father that you should be adopted."

'_Zuko doesn't have a father. His father died nearly over a thousand years ago.' _Katara frowned thoughtfully and then blinked.

"What the hell," she cursed. Where had that thought come from, and how would she have known Zuko's father?

"Watch your tongue, young lady," the headmistress snapped her head around to glare at her.

"Ms. Haiyu," the low voice came out of nowhere.

Ms Haiyu jumped as if someone had been stalking her all along and have finally decided to show his/her face.

"Mr. Zuko! What a surprise! What are you doing out here? Didn't I tell you to wait inside?"

"Yes," Zuko nodded his head, staring intently at Ms. Haiyu, "but it was warm inside and I was getting quite warm myself."

Katara blinked. Oh wow…he made Ms. Haiyu blushed! Ms. Haiyu, the ever so strict headmistress of Orphanage.

"I am sorry, I hope you feel better out here."

"Much better, thank you," Zuko bowed his head respectfully.

Ms. Haiyu giggled for no apparent reason but because she couldn't think of anything to say.

Katara covered her mouth to keep from laughing at the image of the blushing Ms. Haiyu before her.

"Is this my stepsister?" He averted his eyes from Ms. Haiyu to focus them on her.

Katara shook her head and then she frowned. "You!"

Zuko cocked his head sideways, but gave no other sign of emotion.

"You're that boy from school yesterday!"

Zuko smiled, not too warm, but not too cold either, at her, "Yes, what about me?"

"You're the boy from yesterday!" Katara repeated herself.

"So, what if I am?" He asked, lowering his voice and staring intently at her as she was before with Ms. Haiyu, only this time, Katara didn't feel like blushing or giggling. She felt like she was staring at a familiar face sometime in her life, but she just couldn't remember whose face it was.

Katara growled suddenly. "This is not going to work on me, Zuko!" She blurted out, shaking her head from the hell it was that almost made her walk towards him.

"So, you two do know each other!" Ms. Haiyu accused. "How long have you known him?"

'Almost a thousand years ago.' Zuko thought amused as he watch Katara glared at Ms. Haiyu.

"Madam, I have never seen this man before in my whole entire life. Do not accuse me of something I haven't done."

Ms. Haiyu stiffened, "Katara, you—"

"Ms. Haiyu, I would like a minute or two with my stepsister," Zuko interrupted.

"Of course," Ms. Haiyu nodded immediately to Zuko's request and back away. "Behave yourself, girl."

"Yes, Madam," Katara answered innocently.

The Madam gave one more glance at Katara before walking away.

"So, my so call stepbrother," Katara crossed her arms and leaned back against the pole that she knew was there. "How have you been doing?"

"Fine, just fine," Zuko answered evenly. "Let's go for a walk."

"No," Katara shook her head. "I like it right here."

Zuko walked slowly towards her until he was in front of her. He felt the increase of her heartbeat, the blood running through her veins, and he smiled inside. Katara was afraid of him now, which was probably a good thing. Maybe she will start listening to him now if he showed her all the cruel stuffs he can do, especially to a weakling like her friends.

"Still as stubborn as ever." He smiled softly at her.

"What are you talking about? I have never met you in my whole entire life."

Zuko really wanted to put his lips on hers and surprise her at how well he really knew her, but that would probably scare her off, and he didn't want to scare her off. He wanted her to regain her memory before his enemies start seeking him again. Katara was almost useless to him in this kind of condition, and he wouldn't mind protecting her, but he really wanted her to protect herself.

"You haven't changed at all." Zuko murmured gently, his voice caressing her as he brought his hand up to gently cup he chin, "Strong chin, and soft skin." He tilted her head back and let his eyes roam over her slender neck. She was a feast he would gladly have.

His eyes stopped as he eyed the place where Jet had first bitten her and took her blood. The mark was gone now, all he had to do was lean down and mark her as his, and she would belong to him forever.

Zuko leaned forward, his fangs growing.

"Zuko?" Katara's soft pleading got through all the fog in his head.

Zuko pushed her away, disgusted with himself. "We'll go into the park." He was surprised no one had noticed, but he realized that he hadn't taken her blood and unless he did, he looked like a teenager kissing his girlfriend out in public.

Katara took a deep breath and willed her heart to calm down.

She had called him Zuko, as if she had known him forever. Worse, she had pleaded to him on something she couldn't understand, but very much wanted, and for a very long time.

Katara took another deep breath to calm her nerves and followed Zuko.

_Who are you? Are you my real stepbrother or someone after my father's fortune? _

"I am Zuko, your stepbrother," he answered her so softly that she would have never have heard if she hadn't been listening.

Katara frowned. "I told you, I have no stepbrother."

"Well, you do now," he told her.

Katara opened her mouth to argue, but before she could say anything else, something came flying at her. Without even thinking, just acting on basic instinct, Katara jumped and landed on her knees a couple of feet away from where she had been standing.

She could have fainted, better yet, she could have demanded from Zuko what the hell was going on here and why she was flying through the air like she had been just now, but she didn't because she was interrupted by another figure coming out of the woods, another stranger…

"Very good, I see you haven't forgotten about your back." The deep, amused voice filled the air, and sent a shock through Katara's brain. She knew that voice!

Zuko turned to confront his brother, whom he had not seen since yesterday when they were in school.

Katara turned to look at Zuko, and then at the stranger, then at Zuko again, and then she gasped. "You two!"

They both turned their eyes on her, one dark and the other one silver-like.

"You two were from yesterday!" She pointed her finger at both of them. "You two were the new students!"

The stranger who had just arrived at the scene crossed his arms together and turned his head. "And your point is?"

"What are you two doing here?" She moved back a little. "You two must be in on this together huh? This is some kind of joke between you two, isn't it?"

"It seems our little spell didn't work on one person," the stranger eyed Zuko. "She's still as strong as ever, isn't she, Zuko?"

Zuko didn't answer him, and he gave Zuko quite an evil smile. "And she's going to be all mine."

Before Katara could react, the stranger came flying at her, and Katara could have sworn he flew through the air instead of running on the ground. She reacted immediately without thinking, bringing out her hand, as if holding something, and right before her eyes, the tip of a sword appeared on her palm. She quickly closed her palm, knowing she didn't just see that. Those things just wouldn't happen to her!

"Katara! I told you so many times to watch your back!" Zuko's loud, fierce voice interrupted her and before she knew it, she was being carried in the air on his shoulder.

"Still as protective as ever, Zuko." The stranger laughed. "I wonder if you'll be able to protect her this time from me."

Zuko managed to avoid his every little thrust while holding Katara steady on his shoulder. "Trust me," he told her quietly as he landed a kick on his shoulder and settled back on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Katara was settled on the ground again. "I don't know what is wrong with the two of you, but I won't be a part of it." She turned her back on them and started walking away from them.

Katara had only taken a couple of steps when she felt the tip of a very sharp blade on her neck.

"Don't move," the stranger was to her left. "Or else you die."

Katara managed not to show her fear as she looked at the stranger from the corner of her eye. "Um… excuse me, but I believe this is a real sword."

"So I've noticed." The stranger wasn't paying her any attention.

"So um…this could kill me," Katara managed a weak chuckled. "I'd appreciate it if you um…let me go."

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I can't do that."

"Why?" Katara growled. "What have I done to the two of you?"

"Nothing," The stranger smiled at her. "You've done nothing, but you see, our problem is that we both decided we'd have you as our wife."

Katara blinked, and then she laughed. "Wife?"

The stranger smiled at her so coldly that Katara stopped laughing immediately.

"Yes, wife," he took a couple of steps until he was in front of her, but the sword was still on her neck. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Um…no," Katara smiled, "but um…do I get to choose?"

The stranger put away his sword, and stepped aside. "Of course, you get to choose, but," his eyes gleamed dangerously at her, evilly at her. "Choose well."

Katara didn't move. She was glued to this spot. If she moved, she feared she would die, and she didn't wan to die yet, she was still too young. She still wanted to travel, still wanted to see the world beyond her home, and she was an orphan, she still had so much to live for.

"So," the stranger told her. "Pick."

Katara growled, frustrated, "Shut up and let me think!"

"Choose well," he warned her.

Katara crossed her arms. "And what happens if I don't choose well?"

He brought out his sword again, and Katara winced as he cut his wrist with it, "Then you die."

Katara should have been screaming her head off at the sight of blood; in fact, she should have been running away, but something told her she had seen all of this before, in fact, she had killed herself…more than once.

"Zuko," she turned her angry glare at him. "Aren't you going to help me? You started this!"

Zuko shrugged his shoulders and crossed them. "It seems the past is being repeated," he said.

"What are you saying?"

"If she picks you, she dies," the stranger growled at Zuko.

"That's what I told her in her last life," this time, Zuko's eyes gleamed and Katara shivered at the cold look in it, "and she did die." He finished.

Katara frowned. "Excuse me, but I don't believe in this reincarnate stuff, okay? So why don't you two take your stupid little tricks to the movies. I need to get home or else—"

"Very well," the stranger moved back. "We'll see who gets to her first."

Katara shook her head. "No! I'll pick."

Zuko turned to her. "Are you sure?"

Katara couldn't help smiling. "Of course. I don't need some guy to pick my destiny for me."

Zuko nodded his head and took a step back. "Very well, it's all yours."

The stranger also crossed his arms as he leaned against the tree.

Katara couldn't move. She wanted to move towards Zuko because even though he was a stranger to her, she felt like she knew him, and she felt like she could trust him, but she also knew that she would die if she picked Zuko. If she picked the stranger to her left, she didn't know if she was going to live or not.

Katara started walking backwards instead, towards nobody.

"Where are you going little girl?"

That triggered something inside her, and she froze. "You called me a little girl."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't have called her that, Jet."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jet frowned at Zuko.

"You called me a little girl!" Katara's growled.

"So? You are a little—" Jet didn't finish because Katara suddenly made a motion with her hands and Jet turned his head just as a knife struck the tree where his head had been.

Jet blinked.

Zuko smiled a little.

Katara looked down at her hand. "Where had that come from?"

"You nearly killed me!" Jet told her shockingly.

"I…I…" Katara looked around her for help. "I didn't do it…it couldn't be me! I can't even shoot an arrow straight!"

"Then who was it?" Jet took a step towards her slowly. "Tell me, who was it? You almost nearly killed your future husband."

"I…I…you're not my future husband," Katara took a step back. "He did it!" She pointed a finger at Zuko.

Jet stopped in his track and let out a laugh. "Him? Him?"

"Yes!" Katara nodded her head. "He did it!"

"Katara, if it was him, he would have hit me," Jet smiled savagely at her. "But I like some fire in you, makes the chase more fun."

Katara reacted on fear: she ran.

Zuko got to her first before Jet did, which, she hoped, was a good thing. He threw her on his shoulder again, but Katara only rolled her eyes.

**Couldn't you do at least pick me up with style, Zuko?**

**No.**

Katara smiled, and then she frowned.

**What the hell— **

**It's nice to be speaking with you telepathically again, Katara.**

**I'm not Katara! **

No answer.

"That did not just happen!" Katara told herself. "I did not just hear you in my mind."

Katara didn't receive an answer. Instead, she saw darkness.

"Sure, take her out." Jet stopped in his tracks as Zuko threw Katara off his shoulders and disappeared.

"Where did she go?"

"Nowhere that concerns you," Zuko told him as he took out his sword, clasping it with both hands. "Now, why don't you and me settle this right here?"

"How many times have we declared that we're going to settle things, but something ends up happening instead, Zuko?" Jet took out his weapon and clasped it in both his hands as well.

"Nothing is going to happen this time," Zuko promised as he attacked first.

"I'll hold you to that promised." Jet rushed forward as well.

"Where am I?" Katara muttered as she opened her eyes and look around her, and then she smiled, and then chuckled and then laughed.

"What are you still doing in bed, young lady?" the headmistress popped her head into the room. "Get your butt up and go help out the younger ones."

"Yes, ma'am." Katara covered her mouth as she continued to laugh.

"What is so funny young lady?"

"It was a dream," she told her. "Just a dream."

The headmistress shook her head at her and then disappeared.

Katara's little dream, and laugh, was shattered just as something slammed against her wall, and then blew up.

Katara was in darkness for the second time in one day.

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**Other Information/Author's Note:** Sorry it took me a while to update. ML7 totally reminded of the story! =3

I promise to update more when I can, but for now I am busy.... Bai bai~!


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